Agricultural Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Three-step Approach to AET Institution Building

Educational institution building for agricultural education and training (AET) in sub-Saharan African has struggled, leading to many false starts and only islands of success. This review examines relevant literature related to carrying out AET in developing countries, the historical successes or challenges of developing AET institutions, and the need for establishing AET institutions. Numerous factors hampering the development of AET emerged, including: shrinking national budgets, reverse return, donor congestion, fixation on a linear model of science, and political instability. Recommendations for building AET institutions in SSA are presented using Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory as a framework, and include: (a) develop strategic relationships for political support of agriculture, (b) creating a more flexible framework for structuring institutions of higher learning, and (c) utilizing the SAFE model to reform curriculum to meet today’s learners’ needs. 

Educational institution building for agricultural education and training (AET) in sub-Saharan African has struggled, leading to many false starts and only islands of success. This review examines relevant literature related to carrying out AET in developing countries, the historical successes or challenges of developing AET institutions, and the need for establishing AET institutions. Numerous factors hampering the development of AET emerged, including: shrinking national budgets, reverse return, donor congestion, fixation on a linear model of science, and political instability. Recommendations for building AET institutions in SSA are presented using Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory as a framework, and include: (a) develop strategic relationships for political support of agriculture, (b) creating a more flexible framework for structuring institutions of higher learning, and (c) utilizing the SAFE model to reform curriculum to meet today’s learners’ needs.